


"And all I loved, I loved alone."

by Likorys



Series: Tumblr snippets [5]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, because Jaskier look more hearbroken than pissy and I had to pour it out of me, my take on the Geralt Yes Gerat No scene from Calanthe's ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22981414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likorys/pseuds/Likorys
Summary: What was going on in Jaskier's mind during the manticora discussion at Calanthe's court?
Series: Tumblr snippets [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651510
Comments: 4
Kudos: 90





	"And all I loved, I loved alone."

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a quote by Edgar Allan Poe.

The contract before kikimora got them run out of the town under pillage of stones and rotten food and curses. That’s why Jaskier decided to drag Geralt along to Cintra’s court. His fame seems to actually take off quite well there and it’s not the first time he was invited to play for nobles, but first time for a Queen. He remembers all the courts as somewhat dull affairs, but they should be safe from _stoning_ if not the vile words (especially if they don’t spread who Geralt is). It’s the least Geralt deserves and Jaskier will be damned if he doesn’t find a way to get his stubborn ass to agree.

He does, but then Mousesack recognizes Geralt. For a while it still works, Geralt clearly enjoying talking with someone he knows and is even smiling faintly as he saves Jaskier from an angry lord, the method notwithstanding.

Jaskier _would_ die for this smile and he _does_ let his reputation die a little just to keep it on witcher's face a moment longer.

So Jaskier thinks it worked well enough, they’re safe, have food and drinks aplenty and a nice room to spend the night in each, but then there are nobles and their cock measuring contest and manticoras and-

_“The Butcher of Blaviken bleats utter nonsense!”_

Jaskier doesn’t miss the way Geralt’s eyes turn to him immediately, and the silent _I told you so_ breaks his heart.

_I told you they won’t accept me._

_I told you they’ll hate me._

_I told you nothing can wash this off of me._

_I told you it’s what I deserve._

He shakes his head minutely, begging Geralt not to do this, not to play into their insults because he is so much more, he is so much better. Begging him not to believe those idiots who spend their lives fattening themselves on roast hunted by other hands and fucking servant girls and swinging their swords at the training dummies.

Begging him not to accept this tripe because if he does Jaskier might just lose it and snap and then his lute might snap on the empty head of the miserable fuck who dared bring up this cursed moniker-

But then Geralt is talking, about sub-species of manticora which don’t exist and makes a toast to shitless deaths and Jaskier's torn between a laughing ad crying, but he strums his lute and plays to take everyone's attention off.

The next songs are about witcher’s triumphs, grand tales about monsters and blood and sweat. If anyone notices that the new verses about pathetic lordlings pissing themselves in fear before begging the witcher for help seem just a little clumsy and put together on the spot, nobody complains.

Jaskier catches Geralt smirking into his goblet and that’s enough to make it worth it even if every noble came for his neck for the barely veiled insults.


End file.
